We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Selvarangan Ponnazhagan has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Genes (ISSN: 2073-4425).

Prof. Dr. Selvarangan Ponnazhagan is an Endowed Professor in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics at the Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), AL, USA. Having already served as Section Editor-in-Chief for the “Human Genomics and Genetic Diseases” Section since 2016, he is familiar with the journal and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role.

Prof. Dr. Ponnazhagan has taken over from Prof. Dr. J. Peter W. Young, who had held the position since the journal entered publication thirteen years ago. We are extremely grateful to Prof. Dr. Young for his hard work and support in growing the journal to its current state.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Selvarangan Ponnazhagan, who shared his vision for the journal, as well as his views on the research area:

1. What about the journal made you want to take on the role as its Editor-in-Chief?

I have served as the Section Editor-in-Chief of Genes for several years and saw the steady growth of the journal and its impact factor. I feel that with further commitment and enthusiasm, we can further improve the status of Genes and possibly compete as one of the premier journals in the field.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

I would like to improve the quality of manuscripts published, as well as identify global contributors and audiences, especially increasing the participation of researchers in Europe and the United States.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The journal Genes covers a broad area of topics, ranging from prokaryotic genetics to gene transfer. With rapid advances both in the technological platforms and cutting-edge tools used to develop model systems, this is the right time to further invest in improving the visibility of the journal. The future potential of this field is astounding.

4. What do you think of the development of open access journals in the publishing field?

Open access provides quicker turnaround, as well as easier accessibility. With many premier journals starting to adopt this method of publication, the market will experience healthy competition.

5. Final remarks

It has been a pleasure working as part of the editorial team of Genes as the Section Editor-in-Chief for the last several years, and I consider my appointment as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal as a wonderful opportunity to continue working with the entire team to improve the quality of the manuscripts published in Genes. I look forward to a successful future.

We wish Prof. Dr. Ponnazhagan every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to Genes.